New-York tribune., 1887-05-15
sARACINEsCA.
MR. cRAwFoRps NEW STORY.

In his new story MT. CraWloru mas uono Yo'"s
atrong and beautiful work. de has selected gooa
thou gh not specially novel or complicated plot aa
a. ont carefully, provided attractive and well.
drawn scene, and entrusted the action to group oil
characters every one of whom is distinct and inter
asting Indeed it is not often that we read mover
an w hch 80 many of the personages nave sefiou'
claim upon our notice AT least SIX oi .hoin Sio
fipures of the first rank, >deneated Win aumir"oo
art and presenting original AMI fasclna'lug ir"'s
Aud some of the subordinates are less Impressive
npIv because they are more rarely on the stage.
Mr.. Crawford, moreover, shows q high theory oi
novel writing in making his chain Of incidents not
mere succession of accidents bat the natural result
of the action and interaction of human character.
The sorincs of good and evil fortune always lie
deep in the heart .,
The scene of the story Is laid IN home a'ouU '
vear 1853. and the principal actors are memoers VI
fbe Roman aristocIacy. Early in tue narrative We
nre made acquainted with the chief complication.
The Duchess of Astrardentc. tie Young anu peautiu
wife of an old husband, finds herself before she 10
aware of her danger IN love with Giovanni
Sorocpesca the distinguished heir of a rich and
lustrions house, and he, in moment OF passion
betrays to her parallel infatuatlon. This sltua"
tion is common enough in fiction. Generally it IS
made repulsiye BY false sentiment and delusl'e
code of immortality. Bat Mr. Crawford treats IL
with refreshing common sense. corona u Asttarf
aente is a sprited hgh-minded. honest copscieh-
tious and innocent woman. devoted to the husoand
for whom she can have no true ahectlon, ana de-
voted to religious ideal OF duty Saraclnesca IS
q man of the world proud, reserved, resoiute, puu
esntlen an to the core; and if his fidelity is less
religious than the woman's, it is knightlY ana hfm
Hence instead of coldling their misfortune they
both fight it. and they triumph over themselves
until the old Duke opportunely removes to another
world The trial to test the nobility Oh tneir
natures and to sweeten their final happiness, anu
IL Influences much by-play of incident ana intrigue
for the particulars of which we must refer our
readers to the book ITSELF Here we content our
selves with saying that the whole affair Is not only
deyeloped with delicacy. but it carries sound
lesson, and rresistibly engages our sympathy anu
admiration for the two persons concerned; while
its connection with the rest of the plot Is easy ana
ingenious Our interest in Corona is undoubtedly
enhanced by Mr. Crawford's adrot handling OF
the character of the Duke of Astrardente. Inc
vipged aud painted old dandy, who is made mp 1or
society every afternoon and taken to pieces by MS
valet late at night is not wholly ridiculous
figure he atones for much by sincere love for MS
wife: he admres and trusts her; he understands
Mt least in part, soul and an intellect which are
far above his own he regrets his years mainly be-
cause lie is no longer fit mate for her; with her
he is always tender and sincere and grateful lie IS
absurd. but be is also pathetic; and the mastery
descrptop of the last scenes of his life ran KS with
the most vigorous most imaginative and most
dramatic pages that Mr.. Crawford has ever writ
ten. The most attractive of the remaining person.
aues il Cioyannis father. Prince Saracinesca, de-
lirhtful compound of Sam Ward and Sir Anthony
Absolute, who Iayishes upon his son an almost tem-
mime affection and an excessively masculine temper
bullies him about his matrimonial affairs s desoiate
in his absence ana cheeriuly serves him as second
la1 nf avn q al
the reason He never presents himself without
amusing U.S. seldom without touching us by some
evidence of generous and courtly instinct; and In
the most stirring adventures of the story he is gen
erally one of the most stirring figures. The evil
prlnci1e of the drama is represented by rich and
somewhat noisy widow who wishes to marry
Giovanni and the scamp Del Ferice, type of a class
OF conspirators in which Italy exces al the rest Oh
the world Neither Donna Tullis nor Del Ferice
can be called fresh invention, but they are exhb-
ited with effective surroundings and in picturesque
combination and the baseness of the man is O con-
tinuous source OF interest
i TO many readers the book will seem more valu-
able for its sketches of society than for its deinea
ton of character. The action takes place at
critical time. Louis Napoleon still reighed III ap-
parent security. Austria had not yet been driven
out of Venice The temporal power mad been
severely shaken and astute statesmen saw great
was quiet and Submissive; uneasy spirits from
other parts of the peninsula had not focked
thither to scheme for revolution; the populace
were Indifferent; the patricians grumbied, but
dreaded change; the Papa Government had no tear
of secret liberal clubs, which talked vaguely and
attempted nothing and it ruled in the old way,
watching and waiting, but probably not hoping
Mr. Crawford echoes the tone OF society in this
singular time with remarkable distinctness. lie Is
SO distinct that one feels almost sure OF his accu'
racy With respect to the patrcian element there
can be little doubt that he is right That class, even
when not especially attached to religion, was
Attached to the person of Plus TX. and had no wish
for his overthrow A statement which Mr. Craw'
ford puts into the mouth OF tho younger
Saracnesca faithfully reflects their feeling. Cardl
nal Antonel is introduced as one of the actors IL
the story and his portrait is drawn with pains anc
A,ill. Our author has kindly and admiring senti
nent for the astute statesman which is carried be
yond reason, although there is reason at the back o.
it. Antonelli, he reminds us, was not priest. ano
his fants were not different in kind or degree from
those which the world silently tolerates in Other
etarssmen. lie was at any rate one OF the a0les'
dplomatsts of the century, and he filled one OF the
most difficult Of all posts with Incompatible skill
He is made in the book to give n defence OF BIZ
political course. The principles OF the Church ar'
those of tine ideal republic; but in these times The
Church Is driven to bay pressed on all sides by the
Socialistic and disorgsnizlng revolt "For th'
sake of strength we obliged to hold together 81
6r;nly that for tho time can only think OF main
Iaining old traditions without dreaming Of progres
pr spending time in experiments When we have
weatbered the storm we shall have leisure for i'm
broving much that needs improvement. DO no
think that II am alive twenty years hence shall
advise what advise now" How truly this repre-
tents the Cardinals mind is an open question
there can be no question, however, that MT. Craw
ford carries the privileges of an advocate very ia
when he argues in his own person that the Papac!
being driven TO bay. those to whom the last de
fence was entrusted were certainly justified in em
bloyiag every means in their power for strength